Gut Bomb

DAY 19 -- I love the fact that the kids seem to have acquired my interest in junk shopping. With a little bit of time to kill on the way back from Salem, we stopped in Charleston so I could check out a store I'd been to once before. Amy did a good job humoring the rest of us while we browsed the many rooms filled with random and somewhat sorted ... well ... junk.

Mason quickly discovered a few toys that'll keep his interest for the next few days and I picked up a few books and a much-needed replacement for my broken caulk gun. But most interesting to me (and irritating to me, at the time) was the battle royal that ensued between Charlotte and Anna over a small basket that would be "perfect" for their dolls.

"I saw it first!"

"But I said I wanted it first!"

"But you could get this instead!"

And so on.

This lasted about five minutes until they found two more baskets exactly like the one they were arguing over. Then they were best friends again.

. . .

But let's not pretend there wasn't a more important reason for us to visit the hometown of my college alma mater. If you've followed my summers for few years now, you know what I'm about to say.